After stepping down as CEO of Dealshare in early 2024, Sourjyendu Medda has turned his attention to a new venture: youth sports in India. Recognizing a largely untapped market, Medda launched Sports For Life (SFL), a tech-enabled coaching platform aimed at professionalizing the fragmented youth sports sector. With 95% of the market unorganized, Medda sees significant potential to standardize training through technology and curriculum-based learning.
### SFL’s Innovative Approach
Headquartered in Bengaluru, Sports For Life is positioning itself as a full-stack sportstech startup. It integrates global coaching standards with AI-driven performance analytics. The company currently operates academies in Mumbai and Pune, offering training in sports like football, tennis, chess, squash, and table tennis, with plans to introduce cricket. SFL’s technology stack includes an academy management SaaS platform for operational tasks and a parent-facing app for tracking progress and communication. Additionally, its tournament technology offers features like live streaming and AI-driven stats, aiming to provide analytics comparable to those used by national teams.
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### The Competitive Landscape
India’s youth sports market is at a nascent stage, similar to where the physical fitness industry was a decade ago before platforms like Cult.fit emerged. Despite the growing interest in structured training, many existing academies focus on single sports or specific aspects like coaching or sports science. SFL aims to fill this gap by offering a multi-sport platform and plans to expand into 30 cities by 2026. The startup recently secured $2.58 million in a Series A funding round led by Fireside Ventures and Genesia Ventures, which will be used to enhance its technology and expand its coaching team.
### Impact on India’s Startup Ecosystem
SFL’s entry into the youth sports sector highlights a broader trend of technology integration in traditional industries. As more families in urban areas seek structured sports training, the demand for professional coaching platforms is likely to increase. This shift could drive further investment in sportstech startups, encouraging innovation and competition. By targeting a market that could potentially reach $5 billion in the next five to six years, SFL is setting a precedent for how technology can transform the sports industry.
Looking ahead, SFL aims to increase its annual recurring revenue from Rs 12 crore to Rs 40-50 crore by March 2027. With plans to densify local catchments and expand its offerings, the startup is poised to become a national brand in the coming years. As the youth sports market evolves, SFL’s success could inspire other entrepreneurs to explore opportunities in this emerging sector.
